I'm With You
by Fortywinx
Summary: A single chapter song fic. Saying too much may ruin the story, but it's kinda a sweet romance fic about someone returning... Enjoy!


I'm With You

A figure stood alone in the orange glow of the single street lamp on the bridge overlooking the old Midgar railway line. The wind blew the rain in waves across the dark road, making patterns and swirls, it blew around the girl causing her long coat to whip around her bare legs.

She stood motionless staring out over the sleeping city. Looking up she let the rain run over her face. Her hood was blown off, and strands of hair escaped from her pony-tail, dancing around her face.

Tifa smiled slightly even as the chill rain dripped off her chin. Two years ago, she could have stood in this exact same spot in this foul weather, and not have felt a single drop of rain or gust of wind. Midgar was so different now the plate was gone. The changes the city had undergone in two year had been amazing but they hadn't got around to this place. She remembered him telling her how he'd jumped off this bridge onto the passing train to escape the ShinRa soldiers. Thought's of the past reminded her of why she was here, and she glanced up and down the road, but there was only the sound of the pattering rain, and no sign of anyone else.

_I'm standing on the bridge_

_I'm waiting in the dark_

_I thought that you'd be here by now…_

_There's nothing but the rain_

_No footsteps on the ground_

_I'm listening but there's no sound._

She sighed and wondered if he would even show up. It had taken a whole year to find out where he'd gone after they had defeated Sephiroth. They'd all promised to keep in touch when they'd parted ways, except for him. Tifa remembered his words. He'd said he needed some time to think. To remember. Tifa didn't blame him for not wanting to forget Aeris, but it had still hurt when he had left her alone to confront his feelings for the flower girl. She had returned home alone, and had rebuilt a 'normal' life for herself.

_Isn't anyone trying to find me?_

_Won't somebody come take me home?_

Glancing at her watch she saw that it was well past the time when they had been due to meet. She wondered why she was still waiting, and realised it was because she had never stopped hoping that one day he would look at her with those bright blue eyes, and she would see an emotion in them that she had only ever seen when he looked at Aeris. She shook her head angrily. Why was she so willing to be second best to another girl? Other men had shown interest in the last year, but Tifa only had thoughts for one man, the one man she couldn't have. The one man she had dreamed she would make a new life with.

_It's a damn cold night_

_Trying to figure out this life_

_Won't you take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are but I…_

_I'm with you…_

But she hadn't given up. She'd searched for him, she'd travelled the world trying to pick his face out in crowds. Giving people his description, following up leads only to find out that it was just someone who looked like him. She hadn't wanted to give up but she knew she'd have to return to Midgar at the end of the year. The last place she had visited had been the Icicle Inn, and there she had found him, or at least the place he had been. The villagers told him he'd been staying in the Professor's old house, but he hadn't been home for almost two weeks. She was worried that something had happened to him, but the villagers had assured her that he often went hunting the creatures which occasionally attacked the village, and sometimes didn't return for a few weeks at a time. Tifa left before he had returned, but now she knew where he was. 

_I'm looking for a place_

_I'm searching for a face_

_Is anybody here I know_

_Cause nothing's going right_

_And everything's a mess_

_And no one likes to be alone._

She'd written him a letter. A month later she had received a typically short reply, in which he had asked her to meet him here tonight. 

She checked her watch again and bit her lip. Maybe she'd got the wrong place? Or maybe he'd forgotten how to find this place? She smiled slightly at the image of him wandering lost through the back streets of the city, looking for her.

_Isn't anyone trying to find me?_

_Won't somebody come take me home?_

Her coat and clothes were drenched. Her hair was plastered to her freezing face, but still she knew she couldn't move. He had said he would be here tonight, and so she would wait until he came, or morning did. She shivered slightly, and tried to pull her soaking coat tighter around her. The sudden movement of her cramping muscles, caused her to stumble. Her eyes closed and she tried to put her hands out to catch herself, but she knew she was too stiff. 

Someone caught her before she hit the ground. Warm hands engulfed her freezing ones, and she felt herself cradled in strong arms.

_It's a damn cold night_

_Trying to figure out this life_

_Won't you take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are but I…_

_I'm with you…_

She smiled slightly without opening her eyes. 'Thank you.' Her voice sounded far off. Why was she so sleepy? Why was it raining? Oh yes, she was outside wasn't she. A voice brought her back to reality.

'You're welcome, Tifa.' She knew that voice, and opened her eyes wide. A pair of bright blue eyes looked back at her, and Cloud smiled slightly.

_Why is everything so confusing_

_Maybe I'm just out of my mind…_

'Cloud!' She whispered, and closed her eyes again to stop the tears. She buried her face in his jacket. 'I'm so glad you came.'

'I'm sorry I'm late.' He said, his voice was hesitant, 'I…I wasn't sure I could see you again. I wanted to so badly but… I thought you deserved better. I was so messed up… and after…after…'

Tifa looked up at him, and gave him a small smile. 'I know. We all loved Aeris so much and… I know how you felt about her, Cloud.'

He raised his eyes to meet hers again, and looked into her dark brown ones seriously. 'Maybe I did then but…' He took a deep breath, 'but she's gone now. Gone for good. And what's the point in thinking of something that will never happen? Aeris was… she was too good for this world almost. But you, Tifa, you've always been there, and I realised that my dreams of her were just that, dreams.'

His eyes were still holding hers, and Tifa realised that he was looking at her the way she'd always wanted him to. His eyes were full of love as he pulled her closer to him.

'You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, Teef. Can you forgive me for running away and leaving you?'

A smile spread across her face, 'Of course I do. You're far too charming for your own good Cloud Strife!' He looked down, embarrassed, smiling.

She sneezed suddenly, and shivered. 'Take me home Cloud. I'm holding you fully responsible if I have pneumonia. You can stay at my place, it's a rotten night. And you're not sleeping on the couch. I need warming up. And don't be chivalrous and argue.'

She was surprised to hear him chuckle, 'Whatever you say. Let's get you home then.'

Smiling, she snuggled closer to him, and closed her eyes. 'I love you, Cloud.'

'I love you too…'

The bridge was empty except for the swirls and waves of water, the pattering of the rain and the whispering of the wind.

_Author's Notes: Well I hope you enjoyed that, please R&R and check out my other stories :-) I do not own any of the characters in this fic, they belong to Square-Enix, and the song was by Avril Lavigne. Thanx for reading!_


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